TheCable

Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says cancer is caused by corruption.

Magu said this on Thursday when he visited Mahmoud Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at his office in Abuja.

The acting EFCC chairman said every evil in society is caused by corruption.

“Corruption is the worst enemy of Nigeria. It is a disaster. It causes all evils. Even cancer is caused by corruption,” he said.

“Every evil you find in society is caused by corruption directly or indirectly. So, it is high time you and I stamped corruption out.”

Magu said corruption is affecting everyone and appealed to all Nigerians to fight against it.

He said creating awareness for people to register and vote is a way of fighting against corruption.

“We are all Nigerians and we all have equal responsibility of fighting corruption. Everybody in his home has a responsibility in the fight against corruption and no one can sit down and say he can fight corruption alone. Corruption is affecting everybody,” he said.

“Everyone must join in the fight against corruption. Corruption is a disaster, it has done too much damage in this country and I believe INEC is fighting corruption indirectly.

“They may not be fighting corruption the way we are fighting it. That is why I said fight corruption whichever way you want to fight it. Even creating awareness for people to register and vote is fighting corruption.

“I want to congratulate INEC for the work so far. I have not seen anything wrong. we have been working together and I want to assure you that we will give our support to do good and do right.”

On his part, Yakubu said the commission did not want 2019 elections to be determined by the amount of money people have.

The INEC chairman said vote buying would not be tolerated by the commission.

Magu and Yakubu

“INEC is worried on the recent trend of open vote buying at polling stations. Only votes of citizens should determine who wins election,” he said.

“Our democracy must never be on sale, it is the will of the people that should determine who wins. Therefore Mr chairman I look forward to working very closely with the EFCC to ensure that open vote buying will not be tolerated by the commission.

“We don’t want the 2019 general election to be determined by the amount of money people have and can go round on election day to buy votes. Its the right of Nigerians to vote whoever and that right must be upheld by INEC.

“The second area is about party and campaign finance. The electoral act presents limit as to the amount parties and individuals can spend for election and also the amount that friends of candidates and parties can contribute. In any election.

“I want the EFCC to uphold that mandate in every capacity to track and to trace sources of funds to work closely with us.”